The typical house or building is equipped with multiple surface mounted electrical receptacles and/or switches for distribution and/or on/off control of electricity within the house/building. With reference to FIG. 1A, these receptacles and switches are generally mounted in an outlet box 75 that is attached to the frame structure 67 of a wall, floor or ceiling structure 60 and behind the wall or floor surface covering 80. FIG. 1B is a diagram illustrating a properly mounted electrical receptacle 100, installed into an outlet box 75 that is attached to a support structure 67 (FIG. 1A) and located behind/beneath a wall covering 80. With reference to FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, it can be seen that the electrical device 100 is configured as an electrical switch 102 and includes a yoke 110 that is in contact with and supported by wall covering 80 at points 95. The yoke 110 is secured to the outlet box 75 via one or more screws 90. The yoke 110 may also be referred to as “strap” 110. A faceplate 55 can then be mounted over the receptacle 110 so that the faceplate 55 is held against the wall surface 80.
During construction, the task of installing each outlet box 75 is carried out at a point in time after construction of the wall structure framing 67 but before installation of the wall covering 80. When the wall covering 80 is installed, holes must be cut in the covering 80 to accommodate the outlet box 75 attached to the frame structure 67 and thereby make it accessible from outside. Unless the holes are cut in the covering 80, the outlet box 75 will be inaccessible for installation of the device 100 (i.e. the outlet box will be located behind the wall covering). Unfortunately, it is common for holes to be cut into wall/flooring covering 80 with less precision than is desirable. The result is often holes within the wall/flooring covering 80 that are larger than they need to be in order to accommodate the outlet box 75. As typical electrical receptacles/switches 100 are designed to be mounted in an outlet box 75 via screws 90 and held against the surface edge of the wall covering 80 around the cut hole, it is important that the wall covering 80 be cut no larger than necessary to accommodate the outlet box 75. Where the wall covering 80 is cut too large, the surface of the wall surface 80 will be too far from the outlet box 75 to provide support for the electrical receptacle/switch. The result is that the receptacle/switch 100 is not provided any support and is held in place at a level with the wall surface by the face plate that is installed over the receptacle/switch. The receptacle/switch may be securely held in place by the faceplate, at least temporarily for a period of time. Eventually the pressure/forces of ordinary use combined with the lack of true support of the receptacle/switch by anything other than the faceplate 55, stresses the faceplate 55 to a point where it breaks and is unable to provide support to the receptacle/switch. This results in the receptacle/switch becoming loose and pushed backward into the outlet box where it can not be easily accessed. This increases the risk of shock and fire. Further, it is a condition which fails to meet the criteria specified by most fire, building and/or building safety codes.
FIG. 1C is a diagram illustrating an improperly mounted electrical device 100, installed into an outlet box 75 that is attached to a support structure (not shown) and located behind/beneath a wall covering 80. In this illustration it can be seen that the yoke 110 is not in contact with or supported by the wall covering 80 at points 96. Thus, the yoke 110 is not secured to the outlet box 75 via screws 90. In this situation a faceplate 55 may be mounted to the electrical device 100, however the faceplate 55 will typically be the only thing holding the electrical device 100 in the proper position.
FIG. 1D is a diagram showing a representation of a typical wall mounted electrical device 100 that is configured as a switch 102. FIG. 1E and FIG. 1F are diagrams showing a representation of an electrical device 100 that is configured as a typical wall mountable electrical receptacle 103. With reference to FIG. 1D–FIG. 1F, device 100 includes a yoke 110, and slotted mounting holes 115 for receiving a mounting screw 90 (FIG. 1B). The electrical receptacle 100 can be mounted into an outlet box 75 (FIG. 1A) via the mounting screws 90.
FIG. 1G and FIG. 1H are diagrams illustrating an embodiment of a typical screw 90 that is used to secure an electrical receptacle 100 into an outlet box 75 (FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B). The screw 90 may have a head 91 that is attached at one end of an elongated post 93. The elongated post 93 is typically threaded in a manner that will allow it to be received into a threaded portion of the outlet box 75.
Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.